The Demons Of My Past
by Nancy2013
Summary: I know I haven't written in awhile, but I've been a little busy, what with trying to raise my three sons and trying to control the demons inside of me. I've been getting better, but I need more time. Time I don't have. My past has traced my back here and are threatening the safety of my sons. My only hope I've done enough to prepare them for this. I'll write soon Oroku Leonardo
1. Chapter 1: Dark Memories

**Hey, guys! So this is going to be the story that will replace 'Switched.' I think I will have an easier time finishing this one, than I did 'Switched.' I hope you guys like it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT 2k12**

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_Dear Dairy,_

_My name is Leonardo, and my sons, mostly Donatello, told me that writing in a book could help me deal with things in my past. Well, where do I start? Probably at the beginning, huh? It all started like this..._

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*Flashback*

It was a normal day in the streets of Tokyo, Japan, outside a pet shop. A young boy's mother had just bought him four baby turtles. Somehow, something made the boy drop the bowl. We fell to the ground glass shattering all around us, and I was the only one who survived. The boy's mother believed that we were all dead and so she took her son and they both left.

I was alone and surrounded by the dead bodies of my would have been siblings. I wanted to cry. There was no way I was going to last long out there without food or water. A truck was passing by and a canister of glowing green stuff bounced out of the back and broke open.

Curiosity drove me toward it and I took a hesitant drink. Burning pain assaulted me, and my entire body was on fire. It felt like forever, but when the pain finally subsided, I felt...I don't know, different. I looked into the window of that pet shop and realized, I did look different. I looked somewhat human, aside from the green skin, three fingers, three toes on my feet, and the shell of course. It started to rain. My dead family started to drift down towards the sewer drain. Before they fell into it, I caught them with a small red cloth I acquired from the trash and hid in the alley, right next to the store, in a futile attempt to keep dry, warm, and hidden.

*End flashback*

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_I tied the red fabric like a sack so my dead siblings stayed somewhat dry. I found a rope in the trash too, tied it to my waist, almost like a belt, and put the makeshift bag on it so I wouldn't have to keep carrying it around. I was so cold. So tired. But I would have preferred it to have stayed like that if only I had known what would happen to me the next day._

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*Flashback*

I didn't get any sleep that night. I stayed up thinking about what I was going to do with myself. No one was going to let a freak like me stay with them.

Or so I thought.

The day was hours from ending. I was so tired, cold, thirsty, and hungry. I was almost ready to consider counting the days until the dehydration or deprivation of food would end up killing me, when I saw a shadow of a man and two kids coming close to the alley. I didn't pay them much attention. I figured that they'd walk past me and continue going about their lives. But they did something that shocked me. When the little girl and boy came into view, they saw me. I felt a little uneasy having their curious piercing eyes on me, but I was surprised yet again by the look of pity in their eyes.

"Daddy! Daddy! Look at the sick turtle," the girl said, trying to get her father's attention.

The boy walked up to me trying to figure me out. I wanted to squirm away from his curious eyes, but I was locked in place by some mysterious force. When the man finally came into the alley, he took a really good look at me.

He gave me a soft smile that sent chills down my spine, "Hello, little one. My name is Oroku Saki. And these are my children. Oroku Karai and Oroku Yoshi."

*End flashback*

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_I didn't know it at the time, but those names would forever mean pain and anguish. They took me home, fed me, clothed me, and gave me a bed. I liked his wife, Tang Shen, she was the nicest lady I'd ever met. I was even allowed to call her my mother. This kindness went on for five years. But like all good things, it had to come to an end._

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*Flashback*

I heard something break; waking me up immediately. I ran to the source of the noise, the living room, and saw a man I'd never seen before pointing a gun at Oroku Saki and my mother.

"Oroku Nagi?! What are you doing here?!" Saki cried out.

"I came to collect what is mine, brother!"

I looked over at mother and she looked so scared. I was too. I didn't want this man to shoot.

"My wife was never yours, brother, stop this madness before you do something you'll regret," Saki said, trying to reason with the gunman, but he wouldn't hear any of it.

"I don't want any trouble, brother, just give me the pretty lady and we won't have a problem," the gunman said, looking at mother desperately.

"I won't go with you. I don't love you," mother yelled, almost in anguish.

Something in the man snapped at that very moment. "FINE! If I can't have you, then no one can!"

All I remember after that was a loud bang, an equally loud thud, another bang, and another thud.

*End flashback*

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_I saw what the man had done. He killed my mother, and to escape the consequences, himself as well. I quietly ran back to my room and silently cried underneath the covers, clutching the pouch that had my dead siblings inside. First them, now this. But my cycle of grief was far from over._

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**What do you think?**

**Please review. Thank you and good night.**


	2. Chapter 2: Chains

**Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT 2k12**

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_Dear Dairy,_

_Like I said, my cycle of grief was far from over. After my mother died, things slowly began to change. They still fed me, clothed me, and did everything else before her death, but other than that, I was given very little contact with them. I didn't talk, so I didn't really tell them how I felt. Emotions were still raw, so I figured that staying quiet for awhile would be fine, but then everything took a turn for the worst._

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*Flashback*

I woke up with Karai, Yoshi, and Saki standing around my bed with blank expressions on their faces. If I could have talk, I would've asked what was going on. But before I could make an attempt to do so, they violently pulled me out of the bed and carried me to a cold, gray, empty room; probably the basement. The wrapped my body, curled into a fetal position where I was laying on my shell, with a heavy black chain attaching the ends to either side of the room. They then left the room, glaring at me as if I had done something wrong.

*End flashback*

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_For some reason, after my mother's death, they didn't think I was part of the family anymore. It was as if had been the one to kill my mother instead of Saki's brother. They took away everything; the clothes I was wearing, my bed, and all of my possessions. Food, and water wasn't totally taken away, but I was lucky if I got one meal a day from them. At least they didn't take the bag with my siblings away. I don't know if I could bear it. Call it gross or cryptic, but at the time, they were the only real family I had left. I had to keep them close. I thought that it was going to remain that way, but sadly, I was wrong again._

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*Flashback*

This went on for a few days. Just as I was getting use to the 'routine' I was brought down to the dojo one day.

Aside from Karai, Yoshi and Saki, there were two other men there. I later learned their names were Chris Bradford and Xever. They were a little surprised by my appearance, but were distracted by Saki before they could say anything to me.

"I suppose you're wondering why I've brought this Freak into our lessons," Saki mused.

Freak.

I was never formally named during my time with these people. My mother talked of it, but we never got the ball rolling. I usually went by 'Turtle,' but it looked like they're going to start calling me 'Freak' now.

"This is my late wife's adopted son," Saki told them.

Chris looked at me like he was trying to figure me out. I was a little uncomfortable with this.

"He's an ugly little thing isn't he?" Chris remarked.

I lowered my head in shame at this.

"He's not so bad. He's better looking than you, Chris," I heard Xever say in a thick Spanish accent.

I knew he meant that as insult to Chris, but it was nice that he had said it anyway.

"Silence!" Saki yelled, gaining back their attention. "He's not here to compare your looks...He's here to help with practice."

*End flashback*

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_I didn't have to be told that it meant they were going to use me as a punching bag. I was going to get hit either way, so I didn't bother to try and escape it. They were hesitant at first, but out of their fear of Saki, they started trying out different kicks and punches on me. Even Saki used me to teach them new moves. I'm both happy and angry because of this. Angry for obvious reasons, but happy because I was able learn different self defense and offence moves. But that wasn't the only way I learned some tricks._

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*Flashback*

I was back in the chains in the same position as always in my 'room' and waited until they needed their training dummy again. The door opened a few hours before training and I tensed up at this.

_'Why were they coming to get me so early?'_ I thought to myself.

To my surprise, it was Xever behind the door.

"Hey, relax. I'm not here to hurt you," he said, his voice filled with concern.

I calmed down a little, but not enough to keep me from shaking. He took the chains off of me gingerly and helped me up.

"Hi, my name is Xever. We were never properly introduced." He held his hand to me as a gesture for me to shake it.

I hesitantly did so.

"So, what's your name, little one?"

I didn't answer him, how could I? So I simply shrugged, hoping he'd be satisfied with that answer.

"You don't have one?" Xever asked me.

I shook my head.

"Well, I'm not going to keep calling you 'Freak' or 'Turtle.' I can't think you like those names do you?" he asked.

I didn't mind 'Turtle,' it's what I was, but 'Freak'...Not really. I again shook my head.

Xever sighed and set me on his lap. "I know how you feel. I know what it's like to be a nobody. To be called a freak. You may not be normal, but you're no monster," he said, looking down at me with sympathy.

I honestly liked the idea of a name, I really did, but in a way, it really scared me.

"Don't feel anxious, little one. I'm sure I'll give you something you like," he said, as if he read my thoughts.

There was no point in trying to stop him so I let think of something.

"How's Leonardo Sound to you?" he said after musing over it for a few seconds.

I thought about for a few more seconds and decided I liked it. Since I couldn't talk yet, I simply nodded my head.

*End flashback*

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_Xever was the only one who cared about me after my mother passed away. He would come every day to help me train, give me food, and talk to me when I needed him. Xever was my only friend in that house of horrors. I thought that I could have that type of life forever. But fate can be a cruel mistress._

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**Please review. Thank you and good night.**


	3. Chapter 3: Run!

**Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT 2k12**

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_My life, for another two months, was okay with Xever as my mentor. He was a really good teacher, but that was the only good part. I was still be used as a training dummy, but one day, that all changed._

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*Flashback*

One day, Saki decided that they would stop using fists and feet upon me, and would switch to blades and knives. He tied me to a wooden pole with very strong and heavy rope. Once he was sure I was secure, he gave his children and students blades. For two days I would be slashed, hacked, and stabbed. The blades stung so badly and left so many permanent scars on me. But they did help me in a way. My resistance to pain became really high, until eventually, I didn't even feel the need to scream anymore, not that I ever did in the first place.

I don't know why or how it happened, but one day, something inside me snapped. I remember all of it like it was yesterday. It was Yoshi's turn to slash at me. I closed my eyes, listened for the ring of the blade, and with quick reflexes I caught the blade with my mouth. I opened my eyes a bit, and saw that everyone was in complete shock. Xever hid it pretty well from Saki and the others, but under his facade, he looked proud of me. I noticed that Yoshi was trying to get the blade out. I knew that the minute he did that he'd run at me again. I don't know how I did it, but I bit down on the blade so hard that it actually broke. The crowd gasped in shock when that happen. Karai seemed to have been the angriest about this and ran up to me, fist flying towards me. I was scared, but I wasn't about show her that. Just as her fist was about to make contact, I grabbed it with my teeth too. I bit down hard enough to keep in place for a few seconds before she jerked it out of my mouth. She looked down at her fist and saw a little blood on the knuckle.

Upon seeing this, she screamed in shock. "YOU FREAK! LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" she yelled.

I didn't answer, not that I ever had. Saki seem to take that as an offence and began to advance closer to me, his gauntlet raised and ready to strike. I thought for sure I was dead. I closed my eyes tightly, waiting for the strike, but it never came. I opened my eyes, and to my surprise, Chris had stopped Saki from possibly killing me. I found that quite surprising. Xever always said that Chris was a jerk, and even to this day, I agree with him, to an extent. It couldn't have hurt him to apologize for hitting me, but I couldn't think about that then, all I could think about was the pissed off look on Saki's face.

"Bradford! What is the meaning of this?!" Saki yelled.

"The boy's had enough! Look at him! He's covered in scars!" Chris yelled back.

"Since when did you start caring about him?" Xever asked him.

I think he knew what I was thinking the same thing, since I didn't speak, he probably just asked for me.

"Oh, and you don't? You've been going behind Sensei's back to take care of the poor kid!" Chris yelled to Xever.

I'd have glared at him if he hadn't saved me from being killed.

"What proof do you have of this?!" Xever retorted back.

"ENOUGH!" Saki yelled, ending Chris and Xever's argument.

*End flashback*

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_Saki let me down from the pole rather harshly, much to the protests of Chris and Xever, and practice ended. For the rest of the day I stayed in my basement chained up in the same position as the other times. I didn't know what to expect, I assumed another beating or possibly being killed, but nothing of the sorts happened._

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*Flashback*

I was trapped inside the basement waiting for the punishment that was sure to come. I cringed when the door opened. I closed my eyes tightly in a useless attempt to make my fate less horrifying. I guess it worked, because my chains were taken off of me gently, as opposed to harshly like Saki would've done. I opened my eyes a little, expecting to see Xever, but instead, it was Chris undoing my chains while Xever watched him do so.

"Not so hard! He's been hurt enough!" Xever yelled.

"I'm doing this as gently as I can! He put these on way too tight!" Chris retorted back.

Once the chains were off of me, I stood up a bit unsteadily, but I quickly regained my balance. I stared up at Chris with unease. He may have saved me a few hours prior, but I still had a hard time trusting his intentions after being beaten by him for so long.

"Relax, Leo, he won't hurt you." Xever said, calming my nerves a little bit.

I was still leery of him, but if Xever trusted him, so did I, to a certain extent. Xever picked me up and wrapped me in a small blue blanket, covering me up so only my head was showing, and walk cautiously out of the basement. They continued to do this until we got back to the dojo.

_'What are we doing here?'_ I asked in my head.

Xever looked around to make sure no one was there. When he was sure the coast was clear, he went over to the weapons rack and pulled out two katana blades from it and proceed to give them to me.

"Do you remember what I taught you, Leo?"

I figured out what he was talking about. I nodded.

"Good...I'm not sure how to tell you this but...you're going to have to get away from here..."

Xever said, pausing in his speech as if it was hard for him to say.

Sensing the tension, Chris took over for him. "What Xever is trying to say, Leo, is that you have to leave here without us...er him."

I was in shock when I heard this. I was torn between happiness and saddened dismay. I was happy because I had the chance to finally leave the place where I had been tortured, beaten and abused for so long, but on the other hand, I had to leave Xever; my only friend in this house of horrors.

"Don't worry, Leo, we'll see each other again...someday," Xever said trying to console me.

As heartbroken as I was, I knew that I had to suck it up and deal with it, even though it would pain me almost as much as it had seeing my mother die. I took the swords from Xever's hands and tied them to my back. Xever gave me a sad smile as he wrapped me back up in the blanket. He pulled us into the shadows to hide from Saki and his children, and walked to the back door.

Xever released me from the blanket and said one final thing to me, "Remember, Leonardo, you are not a freak like they said. If anything, they're the freaks for doing this to you."

I nodded, but I felt I needed to do something more. I don't know how I did it but I finally mustered up the courage to do something I've never done before.

I ran up and hugged him, "Th-tha-thank you," I stammered out.

Xever gave a prideful smile, knowing my first words were for him. The moment was cut short however, because we heard yelling from inside.

Xever quickly gave me the blanket back and gave me a gentle shove. "Go! Now! Run, and never look back! RUN!" he yelled. I did as I was told, and ran.

*End flashback*

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_I ran and ran until I collapsed from exhaustion into a nearby bush in the woods. After I finally stopped running, all of the events from a few hours prior all came crashing down on me at once. I wrapped the blanket tightly around my shoulders, took out my red bag with my siblings, held them close, and cried. Everything I knew was gone, again. I worried about Xever and Bradford, to an extent, about what Saki would do to them. I stayed like that the whole night, crying myself to sleep. Little did I know, the minute I woke up, that my life would again change.  
_

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**Please review. Thank you and good day.**


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